CHAPTER ELEVEN

You need to be here for it to be paradise

It happened exactly twenty days after they celebrate their two years anniversary, almost to the minute of their half-past-ten o’clock dramatic confessions. And while he knows that the fact is insignificant and got nothing to do with his current situations, he can’t’ help to reminiscences the moment. 

Partly because the brunette got a mild case of OCD and he tends to remember and keeps track of everything insignificant, like the steps he take to reach Woohyun’s office from the private elevator (18 steps during his proactive days, and a dozen more during his lazy days); the party he has to attend during his college years (twelve, not so proud of it). 

Or, as it was on that hot, midsummer, the number of days since he moves in with Woohyun when he first saw the appearance of Mr. Nam, Woohyun’s father or the very person who is willing to push his son to their very own limit for the sake of his goals.

Sick bastard.

“Dad, I thought I’ve told you before that I won’t submit to any of your ridiculous requests? The only reason that I agree to inherit your company is for you to stay the away from my life.” Woohyun replied with a tone full of hatred, his eyes showing nothing but a challenge and exasperation.

Sunggyu wants to cry on the spot after witnessing Woohyun’s current emotion splashed on his face, riding a full wave from anger to sad to disappointment. 

He vowed to never drive Woohyun insane like that. 

He wants to get out of the room and probably run to the nearest café to get a cup of Woohyun’s favorite Caramel Macchiato to soothes his anger but the said president refused to let Sunggyu leave.

He has been Woohyun’s secretary for years now and the amount of bickering that the two family member has had is beyond his imagination. 

He has too far involved to even backing out now.

“Mind your language, young man.” Mr. Nam replied, calmly. He reaches his cigarette’s box and Sunggyu quickly jumps out of his seat to the old man to light his cigarettes. 

It’s oddly calm now. 

From the outside, you can see a snapshot: two seeming strangers, with little in common and non-existent love but their flimsy arrogances, sitting facing each other, making a challenging eye contact, and exchanging stiff but not friendly words of wisdom before moving on their way.

But inside was a very different story. The brunette wonders why he was so startled by the meeting when there was always something that utterly inevitable about the moment. Not in any grand, destined way. But in that one way that unfinished business has of imposing its will on the unwilling.

After what seems like an eternity, Mr. Nam broke the silences. “You are to attend the exclusive balls with Mijoo. She’s a good girl and just recently graduated from Harvard. This is her first time attending an event at Korea again after so many years abroad and you will play nice.” 

Woohyun gritted his teeth. “What if I say no?”

“You do know that you’re just a temporary replacement for my position right? Don’t try to provoke me. Just do me this favor and I’ll leave you alone.”

“Like how you did to hyung?”

Mr. Nam’s entire cool façade dropped down completely. They’ve never spoken about the other heir and Woohyun never care enough to subject the matter into their conversation.

Why, right now, in the middle of their heated argument, did Woohyun decided it is a good to time to talk about it?

“Your brother got nothing to do with this.”

“Is it really?” Woohyun raised his eyebrows. No one ever talked about what exactly happened between Mr. Nam and Boohyun and no matter how much effort the raven put to beg his personal caretaker to explain to him, they never speak. 

Woohyun was 21 and in his final year of college when his father pulled him out of the college to start his training as an heir. 

“He’s the one who chooses to leave this company.”